Meet Larry Hall, Rain Gutter Sub-irrigated Planter System Guy Par Excellence

Making sub-irrigated planter systems (SIPs) is definitely not rocket science but I continue to be amazed at the variations that creative minds come up with.

Larry Hall in Minnesota gets my vote for best SIP improvement idea of the year. Larry is a super-sipper. I have not tried his auto-irrigation rain gutter SIP system yet but his YouTube videos make it very clear about how to make it and clearly demonstrate the productive results he gets. Very cool!  See all of his YouTube videos here.

It boggles my mind to think what would happen if the USDA extension program, community gardening organizations, horticultural organizations, and botanic gardens across the country gave the subject the attention it deserves. It would most definitely help to solve our widespread problems of lead poisoning, hunger, obesity, and poor nutrition not to forget major improvements in childhood science education.

While I am getting my LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter act together would you please Tweet and post about this. In my view, it is a social injustice that we have so many obstructionists who fanatically worship dirt to the exclusion of simple technology that would benefit all of society particularly the poor and disadvantaged.

via www.youtube.com

Uploaded by larrylhall on Aug 20, 2011

Ok so you want to build a Rain Gutter Grow System! Here is what you will need! 2 10 ft treated 2x4's 1 10 ft rain gutter and 2 end caps.I prefer the U snap brand http://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/roofing-soffits-gutters/gutter... because you can use standard pvc cement to glue on the ends. You will need 3 inch net cups http://www.hydroponics.net/i/211100 they are cheap! Drill a 2/78 inch hole in your container that you are going to plant in and the 3 inch net cup fits perfectly. Also you'll need some pole barn roofing screws because they have a water tight seal on them. also a mini float valve to regulate water http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=34188&catid=569&cli... I use the one with the male 1/2 inch threads and buy a 1/2 threaded garden hose adapter to connect to it. You also can get the 3/8 barbed version and some 3/8 plastic hose and daisy chain a bunch together.You can use any good potting mix to grow your veggies in Not potting soil! Miracle grow potting mix works great or you can mix your own by using 2/3rds peat moss and 1/3 well rotted manure or compost and a couple of good handfuls of perlite! It lightens the soil. I also add about a cup of garden lime or dolomite, I also throw in a handful of Epsom salts. A standard batch I will make would be 2 5 gallon buckets of peat 1 bucket of compost or well rotted manure 1 cup garden lime and a handful Epsom salts. It has worked great for me Good Luck and let me know how you like the system! If you have any question please message me! Larry

Comments

[jlcastaneda]

looks great!, although, i would cover the top of rain gutter with plastic in order to reduce evaporation.

[François]

You do the gardening, I check the spelling. "part excellence". No "a". We both learn something. We probably both care as much.

[Greenscaper]

Merci Francois.

[lynn willis]

is there any instructions about how the watering and feeding system works?
cheers lynn

[Fred Mislevy]

Larry, How do you seal the 3/8 plastic tubing going from gutter to gutter? Or if you use 1/2 plastic piping? I am just not sure how to hook two or more gutters together. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for sharing this great system.